


Waltz for Edward

by DwaejiTokki



Category: Cowboy Bebop
Genre: Abduction, Gen, Hurt!Ed, guilty!Faye, kidnap, papa!Jet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 14:21:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10439586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DwaejiTokki/pseuds/DwaejiTokki
Summary: Mistaken for another girl, Ed is kidnapped and held for a ransom that will never come. The kidnappers soon realize that Ed isn't the daughter of a major corporate CEO, but now they won't let her leave having seen their faces. The Bebop crew, meanwhile, are searching every nook and cranny for their little hacker with no luck. Will Ed be rescued?





	1. Session 1

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this a couple of years ago. Finally posting

Session 1: Ed is Thirsty 

They stopped on Ganymede to refuel. 

A very routine, very boring stop. If it was one thing Spike Spiegel absolutely hated, it was stopping for fuel. It took forever, and Jet always turned off the engine, and when Jet turned off the engine it either got really cold or really hot, and Spike hated both. And come to think of it, so did Faye. She didn't waste any time complaining. 

"It's hot," she whined, languishing on the sofa with her bare feet resting on the coffee table.  

Spike stared blankly at the wall behind her, sweat trickling down his face. His arms were stretched out to either side of the chair in which he was sitting. He had foregone his blue jacket and loosened his tie so that he could unbutton his white shirt, sleeves rolled up. When Faye continued whimpering, his brown eyes slowly focused on her scantily-clad figure. "Come on, Faye," he said cheekily. "You're not even wearing clothes...Not really, anyway." 

Faye glared at him. "You--" 

"Ed is thirsty!" cried a voice from the other side of the room. 

Faye scoffed and turned to the red-headed girl. "Then go get something to drink." 

Ed looked over her shoulder with a cheerful smile. Despite the heat, she wasn't sweating--she never seemed to sweat. Ein panted lethargically beside her. The poor Corgi must have been melting. "Ed is thirsty, Faye Faye. But oooh--there is nothing for Ed to drink!" 

The adults frowned at her, evidently not understanding. 

"No water, no fizzies, no nasties," Ed elaborated, flailing her arms. "Only air, but Ed can't drink air." 

"What do you mean, 'no water'?" Spike asked. 

Ed grinned broadly. "Ed means no water, Spike-person!" 

"Why is there no water?" Faye asked, looking towards the stairs. If there was no water, she wouldn't be able to shower. And no shower meant sweaty, stinky skin.  

"Ed is thirsty!" She turned back to Tomato, her ratty computer, and began typing furiously, hunching over so that her goggles were mere centimeters from the bright screen. 

Jet entered the room. "I've filled the tank," he announced. 

"Turn the AC on, it's hot!" Faye nearly growled. 

Jet raised an eyebrow. "Sure thing, Faye. Right after you go and buy the groceries you were supposed to get yesterday." 

"What!" She bolted upright and glared at him. "It was Spike's turn to shop!"  

"Yours, actually," the men replied in unison.  

"Ed is thirsty, Faye Faye!"  

Faye gasped and cringed as Ed appeared in front of her. Then she sighed. "Fine, I'm going." 

"Ed will come, too!"  

"No." 

"Faye Faye doesn't like Ed?" The girl slumped down to the floor and covered her face. All three adults looked at her uneasily. Ed had never cried before, not even after being shrugged off repeatedly. If she were to cry now, none of them would know how to handle it.  

Suddenly Ed's body shook with chest-wracking coughs, startling all of them. When the bout ended, Ed lifted her face, which was now red from the forceful hacking. "Ed is thirsty," she said hoarsely. 

Faye's shoulders slumped as she relented to take Ed with her. 

* * *

 

"Stay near me, Ed," Faye sighed as they climbed out of the Red Tail and made their way toward the store. 

Ed squealed in some form of acknowledgement and sprinted away, arms spread as though she were imitating an airplane. Faye groaned under her breath and trudged after her. For a thirsty girl, she sure had a lot of energy. 

Ed pressed her nose against the window and looked in at the groceries. "Wowwwww, so much yummies!" she said, drool slipping down her chin. 

"Come on, Ed," Faye grumbled, pulling open the door and entering.  

Ed flipped onto her hands and pinwheeled in after her, gibbering excitedly. The store clerk's eyes followed the girls with disinterest, then returned to the pornographic magazine in his lap.  

"Don't touch anything," Faye hissed. "We can't spend a fortune here, okay?" 

"Ed is thirsty!" 

"I know!" 

Ed pinwheeled away down the aisle, accompanying her antics with a drawn-out squeal. Faye rolled her eyes and started items carelessly into her basket. She had nicked Jet's card on her way out, so it didn't really matter how much she spent. 

"Thirsty, thirsty," Ed sang. She arrived on her bare feet at the end of the store, where refrigeration units contained dozens of drink choices. "Ooooh," she pressed her nose against the glass.  

"Psst," whispered a voice behind her. 

Ed turned and saw a man with a beanie and sunglasses squatting behind a rack. He waved her over with a friendly smile. She returned his smile and waddled over to him. 

"You said you were thirsty, ne?" he whispered. 

Ed nodded. "Ed is thirsty!" 

"Shh!" the man put a hand over her mouth and a finger to his own lips. When Ed nodded, he released her. "I can give you a whole bunch of drinks for free! My friend and I don't need them anymore." 

"Wowww," Ed whispered, looking pleasantly surprised. "All for Ed, really?" 

The man grinned and nodded. "Of course! Just come with me out to my ship." 

"Okies!" She stood up and grinned down at him. "Ed will get Faye Faye!" 

"No, no, no," the man said, waving his hand in a negative motion. "We can get it ourselves. No need to bother her, right?" 

"Ahhhhhh, yeeesss," Ed drawled, rolling her head on her neck.  

The man smiled with a short nod, then led Ed out of the store, careful to avoid Faye, who was contemplating whether to buy three bottles of wine or four. Across the parking lot was a dingy old ship with a paint job that might have once been a copper gleam, but was now the color of cracked dirt. The vehicle was particularly lopsided, as one wheel was missing. 

"Creepy, creeping, creeper," Ed sang in a husky voice as they approached.  

"But lots of drinks, yeah?" the man replied almost nervously. He put his hands in the pockets of his faded pants. "All for you. And then you can share them with your nanny in there." 

"Nanny?" Ed repeated, cocking her head. "Nanny, nonny, nunny, ninny, nenny." 

They reached the ship, and the man reached up and knocked on the side four times. The door dropped open with a clang--the suspensions were broken.  

"Drinks are in there!" exclaimed the man, raising his hands up to demonstrate his excitement. 

"Yay!" Ed squealed and hand-walked up the ramp. Upon reaching the peak, she flipped back onto her feet and looked around. "Eh?" The cargo hold was devoid of drinks--or anything, for that matter. Only dust and a few empty crates could be made out in the shadows. 

She turned to question the man who had brought her here--but was suddenly grabbed from behind. Ed flailed her arms and legs with a shriek of surprise, which was cut off when a damp cloth was pressed over her nose and mouth. The first man ran up the ramp and wrapped his arms around her squirming body to keep her still until the chloroform took effect. Ed slowly slipped into unconsciousness, and she went limp in the two men's arms.  

* * *

 

"Ed?" Faye called. She had already paid for the groceries and stuffed them into the Red Tail. Ed hadn't been in the store, so she assumed that the girl had run off to be outside, as she rarely was able to be in the sunlight. But she was nowhere to be seen. Faye groaned and put the heel of her palm to her forehead. "I knew I shouldn't have brought her." 

She climbed into her ship and sat in the seat, then leaned over the wheel to type a number into her communicator. After a moment of ringing, Jet's scraggy face appeared.  

"What," he said. "Card maxed out?" 

"No, I used yours," she replied in a deadbeat tone. As his smug look turned to disbelief and then to annoyance when he couldn't find the card in his pocket, Faye continued, "Look, you know how I brought Ed? Well, she didn't make it back there by any chance, did she?" 

Spike appeared over Jet's shoulder with an unreadable expression. 

Jet, however, was clearly agitated. "You lost her?" he demanded, slamming his fist onto the table. 

Faye leaned back and laced her fingers behind her head. "Hey, she ran off while I was shopping. What was I supposed to do, handcuff her to me?" 

Jet rubbed his face with a large hand. "Did you look for her?" 

"Of course. I'm not an idiot. She's not in the store, or in the parking lot," Faye said. "I also looked across the street. And in the street. At least she's not roadkill." 

"I'll be there in a few minutes, then," Jet sighed. Spike grimaced and moved out of the screen. "Don't go anywhere. Keep an eye out for her, Faye." 

"Yeah, yeah." Faye shrugged him off. Her eyes drifted across the lot and watched as a dingy old ship wobbled into flight, then sped off.  


	2. Session 2

Session 2: The Jolly Passion 

When Ed woke, her throat was dry. Her tongue felt like sandpaper in her mouth, and her breath rasped in her chest. She couldn't remember a time she had been so thirsty--not since she had joined the Bebop. Even on that ruined planet known as Earth it had been relatively simple to find something to drink. The girl slowly sat up, her head pounding, and she looked around. After a moment, her eyes adjusted to the dark, and she found herself in the empty cargo hold. She supposed there really weren't any drinks for her, after all. 

The door opened at the end of the room. Through it passed the man who had tricked her. Ed glimpsed a dimly lit hallway past the door before it was shut. The man approached her and handed her a small glass of water, which Ed took almost gratefully--even she was a bit suspicious. 

He watched her gulp it down with shadowed eyes. When she had finished, he spoke. "My name is Paulos," he said. "Sorry about this, but we really need the money. I'm sure your father will pay handsomely to get you back." 

"Ed's father?" she asked. Ed sat up and crossed her legs, holding out the glass to Paulos, who took it. "Ed has no father." 

Paulos frowned. "Sure you do. We know who you are, Reilly, and your father." 

"Ed is not Reilly," she replied, shaking her head. "Ed is Ed. Ed will introduce Ed. Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV." 

Paulos snickered at that. "You're pretty funny, Reilly. Again, sorry about all this. It'll be over soon, though, and you'll be back home with your family. Just as soon as we get the money." He turned and left her alone in the dark. 

Ed laid back with a thoughtful expression. She put her goggles over her eyes, though they would do nothing, as they were not connected to Tomato. "Reilly, Reilly, Reilly," she sang under her breath.  

* * *

 

"I've looked everywhere," Faye insisted. "She's gone!" 

Jet cursed under his breath and rubbed his temples with two fingers. Spike smoked nearby, looking as nonchalant as ever. Every few minutes his eyes drifted toward Ed's computer as though expecting her to be napping beside Ein, who had curled up and begun to whine sadly.  

"I don't think she would have wandered off alone," Jet said surely. "She must have been kidnapped." 

"Ed?" Faye scoffed. "Kidnapped? Who'd want to kidnap a thing like her." 

Jet's scowl only deepened. "I'll inform the police. They'll be on the lookout for her...In the meantime, you and Spike go out and search again." 

Faye sighed heavily, but complied. Spike moved from his spot on the wall and moved toward the bay silently.  

* * *

 

"This old thing?" asked Paulos, raising an eyebrow. He stuffed another chip into his mouth thoughtfully. "Nah, it's pretty run-down. Part of the money we get for you is going to go for repairs, you know?" He looked at Ed, who sat cross-legged beside him with several empty potato chip bags in front of her. "I mean, the Jolly Passion ain't gonna fix herself." 

"Jolly, Jolly Passion!" Ed squealed.  

Paulos smirked. "Not so jolly now, is it." 

"Ed thinks it is jolly, jolly-ly, jolly-ly-ly!" 

"You're a weird kid, Reilly." Paulos finished the last few crumbs from his bag and crumpled it up. "You know, your dad doesn't believe we have you. He thinks you're still at school or something." 

"Ed doesn't go to school." 

"Yeah? You just skip, huh. We were surprised to see you in the store. Must be a great coincidence, eh?" Paulos smiled, and Ed returned it. 

"When can Ed go home?" 

Paulos blinked and his smile faded. "I told you...Your father has to pay the ransom first, and then we'll let you go." 

"Ed has no father." 

He grimaced. "Listen, I know this is a really bad experience, and I'm really sorry about that. But Reilly, you can't fool us. We're not idiots, okay?" 

"Ed has no father, Ed has Jet-person and Spike-person and Faye Faye!" Ed insisted.  

Paulos sighed heavily and scratched his head. "Well. It's getting a bit late. I'm gonna turn in for the night, so you should, too. There's a blanket and a pillow over there," he gestured vaguely to a dark corner. "I'll bring you something to eat in the morning." 

Ed flopped over onto the floor and was immediately asleep where she was, much to Paulos' surprise. A flicker of indecision passed through his face, then he decided to carry her to the corner with the bedclothes. Then he left, locking the door behind him with a shake of his head. 

Once he was gone, Ed slowly sat up and waited for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. She crawled to the door and pressed her ear against it to be sure no one was around, and then moved to the control panel beside the door. It only took her a few moments to crack the code, and the door slid open swiftly.  

All was silent. The hallway was empty, and Ed could see that to the right was the flight deck. There would be computers there, and computers meant communication. Communication meant getting in touch with the Bebop crew. Since she didn't have Tomato, she wouldn't be able to take control of the Bebop as she had before, but she could certainly make sure the Bebop knew her exact coordinates. 

Ed could be very sneaky when she wanted to be. She moved as silently as a ghost down the hallway and found her way to the console. The girl expertly navigated her way through the buttons and pulled up a video call, then swiftly entered the Bebop's number.  

On the second ring, Jet answered. 

"Ed!" he exclaimed. 

Ed put a finger over her lips with a proud grin. She whispered, "Ed is on the Jolly Passion!" 

"The Jolly Passion?" Jet repeated, evidently confused. Then his face hardened. "Were you kidnapped?!" 

"Yuuup!" Ed replied, raising her hands. "Ed is ransom!" 

"What? Why?" 

Ed put on a thoughtful expression before shrugging. "Ed is sending Bebop coordinates." 

"Good, hurry," Jet urged. "We'll be there as fast as we can. In the meantime, don't do anything to make them angry, Ed." 

"Okies, Jet-person!" She hunched over the control board and began typing away. The only sound made was the clacking of Ed's fingers over the keys. Jet turned and spoke quietly to Spike, who had entered the room with bleary eyes.  

Ed yelped in surprise as she was grabbed from behind, drawing the attentions of the men on the other side of the screen.  

"Hey!" Jet growled at the kidnapper. 

This was a different man than Paulos. He was more haggard in appearance, with a dreadlocks to his shoulders and a scraggly beard on his chin. His dark eyes were fierce, and before Jet and Spike could get a good look at his features, his heavy hand hit the end button, cutting off the call. Ed struggled in his pincer-like grip, so he threw her to the floor. 

"You wanna die?!" he snarled as she pushed herself up. "If you ever pull something like that again, you'll never see your father again! Understand?!" 

"Ed has no father!" she cried. 

Paulos entered the room, looking quite surprised. "Brutus, what are you doing?"  

"How did she get out?" Brutus demanded, pointing at Ed. 

Paulos was at a loss for words. "I," he stuttered, "I don't know..." 

"Put her back into the hold. This time, tie her up." Brutus gave Paulos a hard glare before shoving Ed at him and storming out of the room. 

Once he was gone, Paulos lowered his gaze to Ed's. "How did you get out, Reilly?" he asked quietly. 

"Ed is a hacker. Radical Edward!" she replied proudly. 

"Hacker?" he repeated. "Well, in any case...I'm sorry. But I'll have to tie you up now, Radical Edward." 

"Let Ed finish this first," she said, turning to the computer to finish sending the coordinates. 

Paulos grabbed her arm and gently pulled her back. "Afraid I can't, Reilly. Let's go." 

Ed pouted, but went with him back to the dark, cold room. 


	3. Session 3

Session 3: Ed is Not Reilly O'Malley  

Despite the fact that Paulos had tied her relatively loosely, the ropes cut into her wrists behind her back. The skin had been rubbed raw from her earlier attempts at freedom. No one had come to bring her food on this morning, which Ed had come to expect from her captors. She whimpered like a hungry dog and lay on her side, pulling her knees up to her chest.  

Ed supposed she could try again tonight to send a message. Her feet were as dexterous as her hands, and now she knew the codes. It would take even less time than before. Ed smiled and nodded to herself, then began to hum a merry tune. 

* * *

 

"Can't find any records of a Jolly Passion," sighed Jet as he rubbed his face with a hand. When he lowered his hand he looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes.  

"I don't get it," Faye said, lounging on the couch. "If Ed was kidnapped for ransom, why haven't they contacted us with demands?" 

"Not that we have anything," Spike interjected. 

Jet simply shrugged with another heavy sigh. "Maybe they don't want anything. They might have just kidnapped her because they wanted to, or to sell her or something. Anyway, the police are out looking for her." 

"Since when have the police ever done their job?" Spike asked. He tucked a cigarette into the corner of his lips and slung his jacket over his shoulder. 

"Where are you going?" Faye demanded. 

"Out." 

Jet breathed deeply for a moment, then pulled the computer closer to him. "I'm going to call that number again." 

"They won't answer. We can't track it," Faye reminded him. "How many times have you tried?" 

"I'll keep trying until Ed is found," he retorted roughly. "I never should have let her out of my sight. Damn it, Faye." 

Faye scowled and left the room, most likely going to her own room. Ein was curled up by Tomato, still whining miserably and without a friend. 

* * *

 

A dinghy spaceship was parked not too far from a field, which was near a Ganymedian school which Reilly attended. Paulos and Brutus sat silently on the couch with Ed between them, waiting for the arrival of someone. They had called Reilly's father with the demands, but had had to leave a voicemail since he hadn't answered. Brutus, who had a very short temper, had stuffed a cloth into Ed's mouth to stop her incessant babbling. 

"What if he doesn't come?" Paulos asked quietly. 

"He dotes on his daughter," Brutus replied bruskly, watching out the window. "He'll come." 

A string a students filed past them, as school had just let out. In the distance, the men saw another man approaching slowly, a briefcase in his hands. As he neared the ship, he suddenly stopped and looked toward the school. The man dropped the case and spread his arms to envelope a young red-headed girl in a hug.  

The kidnappers gaped at the scene, then turned to Ed, who grinned past her gag. 

"You're not Reilly O'Malley?!" Paulos exclaimed, obviously distraught. 

Ed gave a muffled laugh and swung her legs. 

The men exchanged a horrified look. 

"We have to take her back," Paulos said. 

"Are you stupid?" Brutus hissed. "She's seen our faces, knows our names!" 

"If it had been Reilly, she would have, too!"  

"But we would have gotten money in exchange for her," Brutus snapped. He watched as O'Malley and his daughter grabbed the suitcase and ran. "Damn it! We can't let this one go until we get enough for a get-away." 

"Who's your family?" Paulos asked quickly, removing the gag. 

Ed's grin only broadened. "Ed has no family! Nope, no, nope. No family for Ed, only Ein and Jet-person and Spike-person and Faye Faye!" 

"Will they pay to get you back?" 

At this Ed laughed. "Bebop has no money!" 

"Bebop?" the men repeated, looking more scared than before. 

"Those are the bounty hunters, right?" Paulos muttered, eyebrows knitting. 

Brutus and Paulos stared at one another for a long moment.  

"We'll drop her off somewhere far from here," said Brutus. "When they come for her there, we'll have a chance to get away." 

Paulos nodded reluctantly. 

"Put her back in the hold." 

"Come on, then," Paulos ushered her away. Ed went willingly, singing nonsense to herself again. Brutus started the ship and sped away. 

* * *

 

Later that night, after eating a dinner of bagged chips, Paulos had apologized profusely for the mistake and then left her to sleep. When all was silent, Ed crept to the door and listened. Still silent. She punched in the code and then slunk back to the control room. Brutus had fallen asleep at the wheel. Ed hesitated, but when he didn't stir, she decided that he was out like a light and ventured in. 

Ed spared a glance over her shoulder when she reached the control panel. Brutus still slept soundly. She would have to type as quickly and quietly as possible. The first button dinged into the still air. Ed gasped and cringed, then slowly turned when Brutus didn't grab her. He was apparently a heavy sleeper. The hacker released a bated breath, shoulders relaxing. Her fingers splayed over the keyboard again, and she set to work.  

"Message sent," said an automated voice.  

Brutus bolted upright, eyes wide in alarm. He immediately spotted Ed, who was still turning around with a surprised expression.  

"You!" Brutus snarled.  

Ed shrieked when his fist made contact, and she crumpled to the floor cupping her cheek. But Brutus didn't stop there. His booted foot lashed out and struck her hard in the ribs, knocking the air out of her lungs. She tried to crawl away, but her assailant only continued beating her, feet and fists hitting her back, sides, head, and stomach. Ed gave up and curled into a fetal position with her hands over her head, trying to protect herself. 

Paulos, who had heard Ed's screams, had come running. "Brutus, stop!" he cried, pulling him back. "She's just a kid, man!" 

"She sent a message," Brutus panted, jerking his arm free. He addressed Ed roughly, "Who did you contact?" 

She sat up shakily, holding back tears and favoring her left leg. "E--Ed wants to go h--home now," she whimpered. 

"Who did you contact?!" Brutus shouted. 

Ed winced. "Bebop..." 

"Shit!" Brutus punched the wall hard, splitting his knuckles. Then he pulled a pistol out of his waistband and aimed it toward Ed with a cold expression. 

"Brutus!" Paulos gasped. 

Ed suddenly felt cold with terror. It was a feeling she had never known before, and she didn't like it. Silent tears spilled down her pale face, mixing with the blood from her nose and split lip. 

"One good reason," Brutus said, cocking the hammer. "Give me one good reason, girl, why I shouldn't kill you." 

"Faye Faye and S--Spike-person and Jet-per--person," she whispered, "will come for Edward...If Ed is dead, Brutus and P--Paulos will be d--dead..." 

"Brutus," Paulos said worriedly, "put the gun down. We don't kill kids, man." 

"Start the ship," Brutus said.  

"Huh?" 

"They'll be coming. We have to get far away from here," Brutus said. "I'll take her back to the room, and make sure she doesn't get out again. You start driving." 

"Maybe I should," Paulos started, looking toward the sniffling Ed. 

"No," his partner interrupted. "She's gotten out twice now because you can't handle it. I'll do it, and you drive fast and far." Brutus shoved him toward the wheel, and Paulos sighed sadly before doing as he was told. 

Brutus reached down and grabbed Ed by the hair, then hoisted her up. He ignored her squeals of pain and dragged her away, back to the dark cargo hold. For the first time in her short life, Ed feared for herself. 


	4. Session 4

Session 4: Bebop Beats 

"The police put out a bounty on the owners of the ship," Jet announced. The circles under his eyes were darker than ever. "Thanks to O'Malley. He wants them arrested for claiming to kidnap his daughter Reilly." He gestured to the screen which displayed four pictures.  

One was of Paulos, another of Brutus, the third of the CEO O'Malley, and then his daughter, Reilly. The resemblance to Ed was rather striking: the girls were the same age, both had bright red hair, though Reilly's was longer and much more tame, and dark skin, though Ed's was darker. They might have been cousins.  

"Shouldn't we be telling Faye this, too?" Spike asked after studying the screen.  

"Let her sleep," Jet waved a hand. "She was up all night looking, even if she denies it. She said she went to the races, but her card isn't maxed out." 

Spike looked mildly surprised. He finished his cigarette and flicked it into the ashtray on the table, where it continued to smolder. Ein sat at one end, staring at the picture with his intelligent eyes. Ein hadn't left the computer in the six days that Ed had been missing. Just in case she called, he would be there to answer. 

Spike suddenly chuckled to himself and leaned back on the sofa. Jet scowled at him questioningly. "It's nothing," he said quietly. "Just used to having the kid look for leads on the bounties, that's all." 

Jet smirked wryly. "Well," he said, standing up with a tired groan, "I'm going to sleep for a couple of hours. Wake me if anything happens." 

Spike grunted noncommittally as Jet passed. He reached into his jacket and pulled out another cigarette to calm his nerves. 

The older man ambled slowly to his room, rubbing his face with a hand. He knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep, but his body needed the rest. It was always times like these that Jet cursed himself for his soft spots. If it had been Spike who had gotten kidnapped, Jet still would have slept like a baby. But Ed--she was another story. She was just a kid, and who knew what she was going through? At the very least, he hoped they treated her well. Or that Ed would talk them to death and escape. But both were unlikely. 

He sank down onto his bed and closed his eyes. Just maybe he could catch a few minutes of sleep. That maybe was shot down when his mind began to replay the early hours of the morning.    
They had received a message from the number: coordinates. Ein barked and howled while Jet and Faye raced to their ships in the bay and sped off, Jet following in the slower Bebop. But by the time they had arrived, the Jolly Passion and its passengers were gone.  

They split up and searched in several directions for hours before giving up. Jet had contacted the police again, who had informed him that they had put out a bounty on the men. But it didn't change the fact that they were too late. Jet didn't know whether Ed had been caught delivering the message. Hell, he didn't know if she was even still alive. The whole situation just made him feel sick. He thanked god that he wasn't a father. Until he suddenly realized that he was, and Ed was his child.  

Jet's eyes slid open. He lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. As he thought: he wouldn’t be able to sleep. 

Faye rolled onto her side and looked at her clock. It was 1:07. Of course she wasn't able to sleep. She was the one who had lost Ed. She was the one who was supposed to watch for her. But she failed, and a child was scared and alone because of her. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, but she didn't bother wiping it away. She was simply too tired. Faye closed her eyes and let the tears flow, and finally fell asleep. 

Spike sat on the couch, listlessly staring at the screen. He studied every feature of the bounties, memorized every scar, pimple, hair he could see. By the time he was through with them, each of those features would be ruined. 

* * *

 

Ed hurt all over. Brutus had tied her wrists behind her back again, and then her ankles. He even went so far as to chain her to the wall to keep her in the corner. Then he had left her alone in the dark. No food for Ed, she had thought before drifting into a light sleep. 

She was awake now, but her left eye wouldn't open. Each breath she took sent pain throughout her body, and Ed couldn't get comfortable in any position. She had never been so miserable.  

The ship jolted, sending a fresh wave of agony through the girl's body. She whimpered loudly, her high voice echoing across the room. The hum underneath her told her that the ship had started moving, and very quickly, too. A vague question formed in her head, but Ed dismissed it when her pain distracted her.  

Then she heard faraway sirens. She perked up at that. Sirens meant police. Police meant help. Help meant rescue. Rescue meant home. 

But whoever was driving wasn't doing so well. The ship lurched from side to side, dipped and rose at alarming speeds, and jostled Ed every which way. The desperate attempt to elude capture was taking a toll on her already wounded body. Ed curled up and tried to keep from moving so much. Her hope faded with the sirens, but was not completely extinguished. Ed believed in her family on the Bebop. 

* * *

 

The police scanner was glued to Jet's hand. He held it up to his ear and listened intently. The police had found the ship and surrounded it, but the Jolly Passion had broken free and sped off. Of course the law enforcement followed, but had lost them in an asteroid field. Spike and Faye had gone off to help--or take over. Ein watched Jet with his ears perked up, as though he were listening to the news, too.  

Jet sighed and tossed the scanner onto the table when the search was called off. The Jolly Passion was long gone. "Incompetent bastards," he muttered, folding his arms. He stood up and looked around. When he found nothing to occupy himself, he sank back down and rubbed his head. Just when he thought about taking a walk outside, an explosion rocked the Bebop. 

Ein and Jet yelped in surprise. Objects clattered to the floor and swayed with the ship. Jet covered his head. When things calmed, Jet looked up. Something had hit them hard. 

"Just my luck!" Jet exclaimed angrily. Ein barked excitedly and scampered off towards ground zero. Jet grumbled under his breath and stormed after the dog. 

When he stepped outside to survey the damage, he was surprised to see that his Bebop was relatively fine--just a few dents and scratches. The other ship, however, was almost completely demolished. Jet felt a bit of grim satisfaction at that. But then he noticed something on the side of the faded paint. Two words, barely legible: _Jolly Passion._


	5. Session 5

Session 5: Ed is Safe 

Ed couldn’t suppress her cry of pain at the tremendous crash. Her head cracked against the wall, dazing her. After a long moment, her vision returned, and she realized that the ship had stopped. They must have crash-landed, since the landing gear wasn't in prime condition. 

She slowly sat up, waiting for the footprints that meant they were coming for her. Ed heard nothing for a long time. She remained still and silent, torn between hoping the kidnappers would come for her or they would leave her alone. Then she heard the boots echoing down the corridor. 

Her heart sank into her stomach. Boots meant Brutus. Brutus meant pain. Ed couldn't stop herself from shaking at the mere thought of him. He had threatened her, hurt her, and tied her up. He was dangerous and scary, and Ed did not like him at all.  

There was a scratching at the door, followed by a short yelp. 

"What is it, Ein?" asked a deep voice. The footsteps moved faster and stopped at the door. 

"Ein!" Ed cried pitifully. 

Ein howled in reply, and Jet's voice exclaimed, "Ed?!" 

"Jet-person!" she said. 

The door slid open partly, and Ein squeezed in and hurried to Ed. Ed grinned and lowered her face so Ein could lick it. Jet's strong arms forced the door open the rest of the way, and he entered the room.  

"Are you hurt?" he asked, racing to her side. His face was full of concern, and he gingerly set to work untying the ropes around her wrists. "Those bastards," he muttered. 

"Ed is okay," she assured him, giving her trademark smile. 

Ein suddenly turned to the door and growled. Jet whipped around, hand moving toward the pistol on his belt. He barely managed to fend off a powerful fist that was aimed for his throat, then pushed his assailant back. 

It was Brutus, bleeding from a wound on his head. His eyes were crazed. He had nothing to lose. 

"Brutus, stop!" cried Paulos behind him. "Let's just give up!" 

"Never!" howled Brutus, swinging for Jet again. 

Jet grabbed his wrist and jerked him forward, throwing the criminal off-balance. Then he raised his own fist and struck him hard in the nose. A satisfactory crunch filled the room, and Brutus grunted in rage. He pulled back and pulled the gun from his jeans. Both men trained their guns on one another: an impasse. 

"Give it up, Brutus," Jet said lowly.  

Brutus silently cocked his hammer, glaring at the ex-police officer. Paulos grunted behind them and crumpled to the floor, distracting Brutus. That was the split second Jet needed to disarm the man, and allow Spike to step forward and attack brutally. Faye stopped at the sight of Ed, then turned and walked back out. Brutus begged for mercy under Spike's unrelenting fists, and Jet had to pull him off once he had finished untying Ed. 

"That's enough, Spike," he said, lifting Ed in his arms. Ed wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled into his shoulder. She was quickly asleep. 

Spike stood up, panting. He looked down at Brutus's now unrecognizable face. "Think we'll still get the bounty?" he asked.  

A small smile twitched on Ed's lips. 

* * *

 

Faye had been smoking for hours. A pile of cigarettes were at her feet, and her eyes watched the blue sky blankly. Her gaze was drawn to the approaching footsteps behind her. Spike came to stand by her silently, and pulled out a fag of his own. 

"Got a light?" he mumbled, fishing in his pockets. 

Faye held hers out, and Spike took it. But he didn't light up.  

"Wasn't your fault, you know," he said. 

"Of course it was," Faye replied. 

Spike was silent for a moment. "Well, maybe just a bit," he relented. Faye shot a glare at him. "But you know Ed isn't mad at you. I don't even think she's mad at the kidnappers." 

"Doesn't change anything," Faye replied with a wave of her hand. "Still my fault she's hurt...How's Jet taking it?" 

"Hasn't left her side yet," Spike gestured back towards the hospital. "They were going to release her today, but Jet insisted she stay another day just to make sure." 

Faye scoffed. "He's too soft." 

Spike smirked in agreement. Then he tucked his unlit cigarette back into his pocket and handed Faye's lighter back.  

"Where are you going?" she asked. 

"I need a nap," he said, scratching the back of his head without looking back. 

Faye watched him leave silently, then took one last drag on her own smoke. She put it out and turned to enter the hospital. The least she could do was visit the girl. She stopped outside Ed's door. Her heart pounded in her chest, and butterflies swarmed her stomach. Faye chastised herself for getting so worked up over Ed. After all, it was Ed. 

Then she steeled herself and pushed the door open. 

"Faye Faye!" cried Ed's voice excitedly. And Faye immediately felt at ease. 


End file.
